Many people, and particularly children, struggle to get their toothbrush properly clean. The toothpaste, as well as plaque and bacteria removed from the mouth by the process of tooth-brushing, tend to get caught between the bristles of the toothbrush. As such, proper cleaning of the toothbrush requires application of some force to the bristles. Typically, users tend to rub the bristles of the toothbrush with their finger while the toothbrush is under running water. However, this type of action is often counterproductive, as it may push the toothpaste and/or unwanted particles further in between the bristles, and may transfer the undesired particles and bacteria onto, or from, the user's hands or fingers, from whence they may be spread around things the user touches.
The prior art describes various types of cleaning devices for cleaning brushes of different kinds, without requiring the user's hands to engage the brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,749 to Gornik discloses a paint roller cleaner with a hollow annular member and nozzle elements projecting into the annular member. For use, the user pushes a paint roller though the annular member to clean the roller. The annular member is functionally connected to an adapter which attaches to a faucet directing water transfer to the adapter. However, this reference does not appear to teach the expelling of water downwards from the faucet when the adapter is attached thereto, or using the adapter and annular member to clean a toothbrush.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0000506 to Martin discloses a filter cleaner with a spray device in a tubular stem slidably disposed within a sleeve. Nozzles are arranged within an interior member of the spray device. However, this reference does not appear to teach selecting to expel water downwards from the faucet when the adapter is attached thereto, or using the adapter and annular member to clean a toothbrush.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0165828 to Sullivan discloses a faucet adapter cleaning device. The device selectively allows one to transversely direct water from a faucet to a second device for cleaning teeth. However, this reference does not appear to teach using circular jets of water from nozzles or using the adapter to clean a toothbrush.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a device and method for cleaning a toothbrush, which would be connectable to a faucet and enable expelling of water downward from the faucet, and would selectively provide pressurized water jets from circumferentially disposed nozzles, strong enough to remove the unwanted particles from the toothbrush without requiring the user's fingers to engage the bristles.